Positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating elements, such as thermistors, are used in electrical heating devices, such as electrical radiators, electrical heating fans, and air conditioner heaters. They have an advantage over electric wire heaters in that they are self-regulating as to temperature and thus are not subject to overheating even in response to abnormal electric currents. In many prior art applications employing PTC thermistor heating elements, heat is extracted from the device by air flow through the device, including the heating elements and radiating elements, such as radiating fins. The direct exposure of the PTC elements to the air flow fed to the heating device, however, also exposes these elements to dust, which causes deterioration of their heating ability and efficiency. A further disadvantage of direct exposure of the PTC elements to air flow is the temperature variation between the leeward and windward sides, which reduces heating efficiency and generating power due to the "pinch effect" (current displacement).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,692 discloses a heating device employing PTC thermistor heating elements placed in a locating frame made of electric insulating material and located between two radiators provided with flanges which enclose the heating elements, thereby protecting them from direct exposure to air flow. The PTC thermistor heating elements are separated from at least one of the radiators by a plate that is both electrically insulating and heat conducting. Electrical contact with the PTC thermistor is provided by a metallic plate installed between the heating elements and an electric insulating plate. Among the disadvantages of the device disclosed is the requirement of two additional plates between the heating elements and one of the radiators, thereby reducing the efficiency of heat transfer from the heating elements to the radiators and making the device more complicated and more expensive. The requirement of a plate that is both electrically insulating and heat conducting is a further complication and expense.